Thin Ice
by Devouring Rush
Summary: Drabble fic. Serena Barnett botches a spell in one of the worst ways during the Summer, and must find a way to resolve it during her Sophomore year while surviving impossible exams, dodging vicious rumors, and attempting to discover whether or not her husband loves her in the slightest.
1. Crash

**Crash**

Hieronymous' gift sat nestled in Serena's lap, riddled with dents and stained with tears. Skimming the spine of the book with the pads of her fingers, she sighed. Serena felt a fool for abusing it as she had. Though she appreciated receiving _anything_ from the man on her birthday, she could not help but feel disappointed. She had thought, due to their parting kiss and from their increasingly heartfelt letters, that her husband would have given her something _more. _

The fact that Hieronymous had sent her a book for her birthday had not irked her as thoroughly as when she read the title: _In Regards To Black Magic, The Complete Works and Findings of Yvonne Trap. _A book fit for school? That was how he was rejoicing her birth?

However, after chucking it mercilessly about her room and a humiliating ten minutes of sobbing over her husband's book, Serena realized that it was most probably from his private collection, and, in turn, that it must mean a good deal that it was now in her possession. Serena doubted many people were ever loaned or _given_ books from Hieronymous. A sudden prick of smug pride caused her to smile.

Scraping her teeth against her bottom lip, Serena cracked open the book. Smoothing over the first page, she spied the short note had been written.

_'Dear Serena,_

_I hope you have an agreeable birthday, as I am sure turning seventeen seems a large achievement to you. This book should serve you well for next year's teachings. I look forward to seeing you then._

_H_

Serena blushed, a pleasant feeling circling her stomach.

She'd been positively foolish, and she was damned if she would let Hieronymous _ever_ find out about this episode.


	2. Dim

**Dim**

Serena's fingers shook fervently, skimming the pages of Hieronymous' book in a blind panic.

"Why can't you just call up your _husband_," a vicious voice jeered behind dead, beady eyes. Frustrated tears sprung to her eyes. Her teeth ground together.

"Just...Just _shut up,_" Serena hissed, giving the adorable stuffed bear a square kick. "I told you that I _can't_! Just stop talking so I can find the _right spell_!"

A disembodied scream filled the room. "I _said_ shut up," Serena shrieked back, shrill and quipped.

No matter what Hieronymous' feelings were toward her, Serena knew that he would not spare her the consequences for this. Her husband valued the rules so strictly, and with such a queer vehemence. Both Serena's magic and memories would be spirited away the moment he found out.

"You're not the one _stuck in a stuffed bear_," the voice protested, sounding as though it would be crying, as well, if it could. "I know you're trying, Serena. But, what if _you_ can't do anything?"

She slammed the book to the floor, tears springing from her eyes as a frantic panic took root in her stomach. Delicately lifting the sparkling green bear to her lap-hands still containing a light tremor-Serena smoothed a hand over its head.

"_Please_, Derik. I know this sucks. And, I know your freaking out and don't understand," Serena attempted to sympathize breathlessly. "But, I _swear_ to you that I will find a way to make you a human again. But, it's going to take time."

Her cousin did nothing more than emit an anguished sob.

"_I'm so sorry._"

The future seemed entirely and unnervingly bleak at this point. Especially, now that she had broken the number one rule of magic, while managing to ruin someone's entire life in the same go.


	3. Futile

**Futile**

"It looks like a lion." Serena rolled her eyes after glancing away from her dappled ceiling, flicking the St. Patrick's Day bear on the plastic nose.

"It totally doesn't. That is _clearly_ a fairy," she countered testily.

Serena heard a hiss from the stuffed bear she had owned since she was ten, and groaned. They'd been doing so _well_. For the past four days, Serena had exhausted every spell or combination of spells she had in repertoire. Nothing had worked. "You can't think of _one thing_ that doesn't involve magic for five seconds? Honestly?"

A burst of glitter ejected from Derik's temporary body, causing Serena to snort. Well, nothing had worked like they would have _hoped_. Serena had managed, though, to cause glitter to launch from her cousin turned teddy bear when he was extremely irked, shrink him considerably (to about the size of her palm), and transform his faux fur in to the softest material Serena had ever felt.

"I'm sorry. It's just...Everything mundane is so _boring_ now compared to my boarding school. It's really hard _not_ to think of magic," Serena attempted to explain, running her fingers through his magicked fur. "Besides, school starts in a week and I just know I'll be able to fi-"

"I can't believe my parents really bought that bit about me running away," Derik interrupted softly.

Serena hugged her cousin, then. "I'm sure that they ju-"

"Was I really that horrible?" Rising from the bed, Serena fluffed her brown hair restlessly with a huff, refusing to say anything. It wasn't really meant to be answered, anyhow-his rhetoric-, because he _had_ been that dreadful. For as long as Serena could remember, Derik had been a ruthless bully with a hapless home life. Serena had no doubt that her cousin would still be quite the ruffian if he was not confined to a inanimate stuffed bear.

"Hey, Serena," Derik suddenly inquired, slightly twisting his darling bear head.

Serena reached for her latest letter from Hieronymous, that she had received only a few days previous. She always gave them another read whenever she was feeling rotten. "Hm?"

"I'm going to make your school life a _living hell_," Derik claimed smugly, twisting his borrowed head back to the ceiling.

Unfolding her husband's note to her, Serena presented the ceiling a scathing glare, but gave no answer other than a derisive hum. Of course she loathed the idea, but it wasn't as though she did not deserve his bitter retaliations. She was, after all, the cause of _both_ their miseries.

Folding her legs under her, Serena stared at Derik, wondering if he was despondent because he was in thought, asleep, or in the dream-like place he had described to her. Apparently, it were as if an entire house was contained within her St. Patrick's bear while Derik was dormant and not seeing through his newly gained beady eyes. Neither of them knew what to make of it.

Pursing her lips-feeling completely hopeless-,Serena turned her attention to Hieronymous' note.

_Dear Serena,_

_I am pleased to know you are finding use from Yvonne Trap's works. She was a wild seed, as you are, (though I doubt you read the introduction to discover this), and quite the inspiration, apparently. _

_Although, I can not fathom as to why it matters, I shall be teaching in all of my usual classes. You, however, will be taking lessons from a larger variety of instructors and will be seeing less of me in the class room. A large blessing to you, I suppose. However, I would not be opposed to aiding you in your studies over tea time to time (though I would not expect to make a habit out of it). _

_If you would truly desire, we could easily meet in my quarters on her arrival for tea. Of course, I would expect you to _walk_ instead of streak about (I'm certainly not above taking merits for reckless behavior, as you might recall)._

_-H_

Serena wiggled her toes, a customary blush gracing her face from reading her husband's words. She'd noticed he had a slightly irking habit of his early on. He would compliment her or suggest something slightly romantic before backing out of it with a slightly insulting or teasing line. But, she supposed it wasn't easy for Hieronymous to achieve plain intimacy after all he'd been through.

"You look like a silly school girl."

Jumping and emitting a startled squeak, Serena's cheeks burned furiously.

"I do _not_," she protested shrilly.


	4. Realization

**Realization**

Twisting through the halls of the Horse dorms, Serena attempted to find her room number that she had hurriedly scratched on a crumpled piece of paper while simultaneously dodging the spastic crowd. People would suddenly halt in the middle of the hall, visually scouring the halls for people they were familiar with. Others simply terrorized their way through. Naturally, the entire maze was filled with screeches of reunion intermingled with nauseatingly loud chatter.

After being tossed about by some impatient wanderer and being assaulted with a flourish of questions by clueless Freshman, Serena _finally_ spotted her dorm room - number 27. Before she exploded on the next person that dared to approach her, the Sophomore sprinted to door, tugging her large suitcase, shifting the strap of her duffle back, and burrowing in her pocket for the key.

Two hours later found Serena perched on her bed, swinging her legs over the edge. Derik could faintly be heard under the piles of clothes within her duffle, but he was quickly stifled from her ears with humming. Not only had Derik been a royal ass while they had traveled to Iris Academy, but he had almost exposed himself several times. Unapologetically, at that. Serena hoped he was cozy in there, because she did not plan to retrieve Derik until she could find a suitable hiding place where no one could find him and vice versa.

But, Derik was not the subject devouring her mind. Serena was terribly anxious. Who would her room mates be? If not Virginia and Ellen, then who? Serena had not put much effort in to social interactions her Freshman year, as she had been very concerned with passing her exams and dealing with an accidental wedding.

Hopefully, the duo that would share this room with her turned out to be friendly. Or, at least understanding. Although protected by Hieronymous, Professor Potsdam, and her friends, Serena had not been so ignorant as to think that everyone had been accepting or condoning of the situation. Paling, the wild seed pressed her palms to her face. She hadn't mulled any of this over until now. Summer had mashed her worries of being a social pariah. Of being bullied. Or made fun of.

Groaning, Serena fell to the side of her bed, mentally commanding her room mates to be pleasant girls - better yet, Virginia and Ellen.

Derik gave another muffled cry.

* * *

Author's Note: This took longer than I expected due to some personal happenings. One of my good friends moved out of state, I attended a very draining anime convention, and my Brother's birthday turned the fourth of July in to a much larger and drawn out even than had been attended.

Excuses, excuses, I suppose.

However, I did a bit of stock piling! Several other drabbles will follow shortly, by the end of this day, but I didn't want to enter them in all at once.

And, I'd also like to thank AddioKira for her idea bouncing and support. A nod to I Am Frau, for reviewing, as well.

Well, until the next chapter (which should be up shortly).


	5. Loved

**Loved**

When both Virginia _and_ Ellen coasted in to the room, chattering about Donald's Summer antics, Serena felt a knot form in her throat. She was _so relieved_. Both girls had basically formed the back bone of her previous school year.

"Hey, Serena! Why such a gloomy face? Is my hair cut really that bad," Virginia questioned teasingly.

Serena gave a quick swipe to her face with the assistance of her sleeve before launching on them. Tugging Virginia around the waist and wrapping her arm over Ellen's shoulder, Serena squeezed, interrupting Virginia's melodramatic hair fluffing.

"That's a trap I'm not about to walk in to," Serena retorted, trying to dispel the lump from her throat. "And, your hair looks amazing, Virginia. How was your Summer?"

Virginia gave a few firm pats to Serena's back before wiggling out of the embrace and flopping to her bed. Ellen took the opportunity to attack Serena with an enthusiastic peck on the cheek.

"Well," Virginia started dramatically. "I managed to black mail Donald in to being my _illustrious_ man-servant. It was totally awesome! I made him do that one, evil count-all-the-pebbles-that-are-in-the-huge-jar thing that Grabby likes to do." Ellen shot the giggling girl a horrified look.

"Why would you _do _that?" she exclaimed, appearing absolutely scandalized.

Serena pressed a palm to her mouth, stifling a giggle, while Virginia rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. I let my servant go visit his girlfriend, too, didn't I? I think that evens everything out," proclaimed smugly.

Ellen blushed, an astounding red that spread to the tips of her ears.

Serena gaped.

Virginia rummaged in her purse for something to snack on.

"Ellen?" Serena questioned, a Cheshire grin slowly enveloping her mouth.

Said girl merely pressed her hands to her cheeks, rubbing them nervously.

"...He asked me out at the dance."

Serena clapped her hands before covering them over her mouth as she giggled shamelessly. Virginia chuckled around a gummy worm. "That's so great, Ellen!"

She'd missed this. Being giddy with her friends as every silly school girl should. Feeling in the loop and together and loved. Serena's friends were irreplaceable. They knew who she was and she knew who they were. Unlike her parents, who were clueless about so many aspects of her life, these two girls could be and were her confidants.

Stretching, Virginia sat up on her bed, stretching her neck side to side. "Yeah," she added. "But, I'm more interested in how you and Grabby have been doing."

It was Serena's turn to blush.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "It's been fine. We wrote each other over the Summer."

Virginia hummed. "Hasn't been getting _Grabby_, has he?"

"_Virginia!_," Ellen squeaked.

A pillow was promptly launched. "That was a _horrendous _pun, Virginia," Serena managed between embarrassed giggles.

Thankfully, the noise of Ellen scolding Virginia covered the sound of frantic muffles newly emerging from her duffel bag. Giving it a bland look, she quickly scooped it up and dropping it in front of her bed.

Derik gave another cry.

Serena kicked the duffel under her bed.

* * *

Author's Note: Getting very close to actual PC/Grabiner interactions!


End file.
